Automatic steering attachment for motor-vehicles



B. H. PEGRAM.

AUTOMATIC STEERING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 1919.

1 354,4 1 7, Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

165 fievy'am in H Pegrczm,

BENJAMIN H. PEGRAM, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC STEERING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed September 18, 1919. Serial No. 324,381.

Steering Attachments for Tractors, of which the following isa full and complete specification.

My invention is an improvement in motor vehicles, and relates more especially to trac tors of that particular type employed in the operation of agricultural machines and implements,

In the operation of a tractor for the purpose of drawing a plow across a field it is customary to have the tractor, which is in advance of the plow, run with a traction and a guiding wheel at one side in a previously made furrow so that the direction of the tractor is maintained to some extent thereby; but ordinarily the operator is required to remain at the steering-wheel in order to prevent the tractor from veering to 7 one side by keeping the guiding-wheel in the furrow against the landside thereof to overcome the tendency of said guiding-wheel to climb or ride up the plowed side of said furrow; and as the plow frequently needs 'to be cleared of trash the operator must stop the machines while attending to this additional work or have the services of a helper to do it.

It is the purpose of myinvention in the present instance to provide a simple and effective attachment that will operate the steering mechanism or steering-wheel automatically to direct the travel of the tractor so that the guiding-wheel in the previously made furrow will have a tendency to bear against the landside thereof; thus permitting the operator to give his attention to watchingfthe plow and keeping it clear of trash'after starting the machines across the field. I accomplish this by a tension device, for instance a spring, fasteninglone end thereof to a stationary part of the tractor and the other end to the steering-wheel so as to exert a slight pulling force on said steering-wheel that will direct the guidingwheel that is in the furrow against the landside thereof thus obviating any tendency of said guidingwheel to climb theplowed side of said furrow.

In the present instance I have shown and described the preferred form of device for accomplishing the purpose; but it willlbe types of tractors.

or size of tractor to understood, of course, that some other contrlvance than the spiral spring may he employed that will exert a yielding pull or automatically guide the steering-wheel under tension, and that the location of said guiding device with respect to the steering mechanlsm of the tractor may be changed and consequently attached to some other part of the mechanism, without departing from the spirit of my invention and scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view illustratingthe application of my automatic'steering attachment to a tractor of a conventional type.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, enlarged, showing the attachment and partsof the tractor to which it is applied.

Fig. 3is a detail which one end of the ed to the tractor.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views showing different forms of fixtures for the steering-wheel.

F ig. 6 is a modification hereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my invention I have shown it applied to a well known type of tractor now commonly used in drawing plows and operating other agricultural machines and implements, and in this instance the automatic steering device or guiding attachment is attached to the steering wheel and to the flanged end of the fuel tank, which latter is view ofthe clamp by attachment is connectlocated conveniently near said steering-wheel and provides the required stationary part of the attachment may be applied to other In carrying out my invention I make the yielding vice in the form of a coiled spring 10, with the terminals bent to provide an eye 10 and hook 10 at the opposite ends thereof, said spring being preferably made of spring wire of a suitable gage, according to the type which it is to be applied, to give the required tension, and attach the same at one end to a part of the steering mechanism of the tractor, as for instance the steering-wheel 11, and at the other end to'a stationary part of said trac- V tor, as the rear end of the fuel ankle.

In order to effect the connection of the coiled spring to the parts of the tractor mentioned I employ a suitable clamp 13 for adsteering attachment or guiding de-V '5 10 to the eye on the spoke; the means lastmention'ed permitting: the attachment orl spring to be readily disconnected when not rergiired in use.

H lthough any terms of clamping device may beused' which will provide for the ad- 'j ustment of the steering attachment on the flange 12 of the fuel tank-12, so that the saidi attachment or springmay exert the proper pulling force or tension on the steering-'wheel, th'e clamp herein shown is effective for the purpose as it permits of quick and convenient adjiistment. This clamp consists: of spring jaws 13 13 suitably spaced apart to receive the flange 12? of the fuel tank, with a bolt 1-5 passed,transversely through the jaws to receive a nut by which thejaWsja-re' clamped on said flange, the

body portiono'f the clamp having an apertured ear 16' by which the attachment or spring 10 ispermanently connected thereto. The loop or eye by whic-h'the attachment or springis, connected to the steering-wheel may be formed on a spoke of said steeringwheel or applied thereto in'theform. of a fixture, the latter means of 'connection being preferable as it-Jprovides for convenient ap- 4 p lication of the steeringattachment tovtractors new linuse; and for this latter reason I prefer theform oj'fixture shown in Figi l', comprising two members or plates 17 and'l8, with bolts19 for clamping.- said plates on the s'poke, one, as18, having the f eye 18 to receive'the hook l0 ofthe spring. In the modification 0ffixture, shown in Fig; 5 a single plateQOis used, being provided with the attachingee ye 20*" and having. holes by which itmay be riveted on the spoke,"b'ut, of course. in'this instance holes ,would have to be drilled through said spoke.

carrying the spring 10, is first adjusted ion the rear end of the fueltank with. respect to the steering-wheel so. that when the spring; is connected to thespoke of said steering-wheel it will tendto turn: the latter one direction,v to the right or left accordto which side of the spoke the clamp i 1 is located'and consequentlytend to turn the "guiding-wheels of the tractorin the same direction, and'ot course the tension or fpull force exerted by the sp-ringmay be reglulated. by adjusting the clampon, the fuel a tank' to increase or decrease the distance be- :tween the clamp. and spoke. Asthepurpose ot'the attachment is to keepthe guiding "wheelfwhichlruns in the furrow againstlthe f landsi'dej 'ther'eof it: isar-rangedtofzict on "thesteering-wheel to, exert a yielding force to turn saidlguiding-wheel so thatfit .wil

*e s'e ntinuauy bear against the landside thus longer or provided with .extendedfterminal In applying the attachmentthe clamp 13,

preventing it from climbing the opposite or plowed si-de :of. th'e furrow. Therefore after the tractor is started across the held the operator may leave-hisseat and follow the plow to clear away any trash collected thereby. WVhen not in use the spring. is-unhooked from the spoke of the steeringwhe'el -and will hang suspended from the clamp that is attached to the rear end .of the fuel tank. H 1 v 7 Instead of attaching the clamp. to the fuel tELIllK-r-iihfi. most convenient point in atractor of'the type herein shownsaidl-clamp may be attached to anyiother stationary part of a tractor,:inasmuch as in some types the fnel tank may not be located near'the steering- .wheel; but as. the attachment in thepresent instance consists of'the' spring 10,' cl'anip 13,

and attaching fixture. v:Eor the. spoke: of" the steering-wheel its attachment to a. stationary part of the tractor is o'ptibnalor. de pendent on, conditions. Furthermore; it I may be applied with equal. effect to some other part. of; the. steering; mechanism; for instance'the fixture shown inFig; 41 may be clamped on thetransverse steering; rodbe-. low the radiator and the rclamprapplied. to

the flange; at the-lower endj of-Ysaid radiator,

but of course. the. spring; would have to be members ff. H v I g The modification, Fig. 6, shows/the application oftheattaehment as hereina-bove last mentioned',;in.which the apertured: ear 21 of clamp-21 on the flange of theradia'torris vlengthened,andftwo fixtures I 22,. 22, as

shown in .4l,..are.-clamphd on the. trans verse steeringrrod 23, so that, the coiled.

spring, 24 can beishi-it'tedf-rom one of said fixtures to the other andthereby change the direction of pull and consequently the guiding. wheels 25 'of' the. tractor are: turned under tension-of the sprin 7 Having. described 1 my. invention, I claim 11, Anattachmentfor tractors for exerting, a. yielding. pull onthe steering. mecha. .nism to turnthe guiding wheels in onedirec- '01011 comprising. aficlamphaving aws to engage a stationary part of. the tractor; a

1 clamping bolt extending through the jaws ,nearthe inner ends thereofiandyaflapertured lug. 'projecting from L'the body portion of the clam-pgtogetherwith aspiralspring .attachedbatone-end to! the aperturedlug onnthe clamp and formedlinto ahookat-its' other end, and a detachable fixture for atjtachmentto a part-of the steeringmechav nismconsisting of ,a .p1ate with aneye' to I receive the aforesaid hook-on; the spring, and means 'on the-plate. for seeuringtthe same to said steering mechanisms I .2. An 1 attachment for tractors-for: exertingJayieldingpull on the'steering'meeh'a- ,nism to: turn the guidingwheels in-one 7 directlon comprising a clamp having pro- V jecting spring metal jaws to engage the flange of a stationary part ofthe tractor, a clamping-bolt extending through the jaws near the inner ends thereof, and an apertured lug projecting from the body portion of said clamp; together With a spiral spring attached at one end to the apertured lug of the clamp and formed into a hook at its other end, and a detachable fixture for attachment to a part of the steering mechanism consisting of a plate with an eye to receive the aforesaid hook on the spring, a companion plate, said plates having apertures and bolts engaging the apertures to connect the plates.

BENJAMIN H. PEGRAM. 

